1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of access and entry control, in particular of access control to buildings and to rooms within buildings.
2. Description of Related Art
Classically, the access control to buildings or other properties is effected by way of mechanically coded keys, whose mechanical coding represents certain authorisations to the carrier of the key—for example the authorisation of a user to have entry into a building or to drive a car, by way of the opening of a door. Electronic access control, with which data is exchanged between a data carrier of the user and a data processing device, and with which the access or entry authorisation is determined on account of the results of a data exchange, is becoming of increasing importance. The data exchange may thereby be effected in any type of manner, for example via electrical signals, optically or via induction or electromagnetic waves (for example RFID).
It is already also known to use capacitive coupling (sometimes also called capacitive-resistive coupling, “intrabody” coupling or PAN coupling) for the access and entry control. With this, small currents are produced in the human body between a transmitter and a receiver, which may be used for information transmission between the transmitter and the receiver.
This type of coupling is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,591,854, 5,914,701 and 5,796,827. Applications of these are described in the international patent application PCT/CH 2006/000518 as well as in published documents of various proprietors.
The particular advantage of the capacitive coupling by way of the human body is the selectivity of the data transmission. Depending on the constellation, one may determine with quite a high reliability that the signal received by the receiver could only have been transmitted by that person who is in the direct vicinity or in physical contact with a receiver electrode provided for this.
The disadvantage amongst other things, is that on account of the poor signal-to-noise ratio (actually: the signal-to-interference ratio), one may only transmit a limited amount of data. A good signal-to-noise level is only possible with a large amplitude of the transmission signal. A large amplitude (i.e. a large voltage) however tends not to be tolerated by the user. Ideas of solutions, with which this problem may be dealt with, are described in the international published document WO 2007/112609. The bandwidth of the signal transmission however remains limited despite this.
Moreover, the installation of a system with a capacitive-resistive signal transmission is relatively complicated and there exists no compatibility with existing systems. For this reason, this type of access control could not yet become established on the market.
Other access control systems with electronic keys, although not being established in their applications, are however often perceived by the user to be impractical or even annoying. Thus, before each opening of a door, a badge must be held up to a reader envisaged for this, and the release of the door awaited. It is particularly in buildings, in which the inner doors are also secured, that this disrupts the flow of work and leads to an improvised circumvention of the system, for example by way of leaving the doors permanently open, often with the simplest of means, for example by way of blocking the doors with an object.
It is the object of the invention to provide a system and a locking device, which overcomes disadvantages of the systems according to the state of the art and which entails as little effort as possible, in particular in the installation as well as with the daily use.
This object is achieved by the invention as is defined in the patent claims.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the access control system for a building or a building part (room, region, building wing etc.) comprises a door with an integrated mechatronic locking device, wherein the locking device comprises a receiver, which is designed to receive and evaluate capacitive-resistive signals which are emitted from a transmitter and transmitted via a body of a user, wherein the locking device either releases the door or not, depending on a result of this evaluation.
Applicable to all aspects of the invention, such a system also permits a direct, short-range communication (not via the body), for example by way of holding the transmitter in the direct proximity of a receiver electrode, i.e. applications of the invention are not restricted to coupling by way of the human body, but also extend to cases in which the user carries the apparatus having the transmitter and holds it in the proximity of a receiver electrode, or in any other manner, permits the communication between the transmitter and receiver to be effected directly and not exclusively via the body.
According to the first aspect of the invention, the locking device is then battery-operated and is free of a fixed electrical connection to an object which is not located in or on the door.
In other words, according to the first aspect of the invention, the door is a “standalone” device, which does not need to be wired to other units, and is autonomous with regard to the electrical supply as well as the receipt of data.
The receiver—and this applies to respective receivers according to each of the aspects of the invention—as mentioned, is designed to receive capacitive-resistive signals transmitted via a body of a user, and to evaluate them. This means that the receiver must be sufficiently sensitive, in order to receive such signals transmitted via the body. It of course does not exclude the user holding the transmitter device—and this may be designed as a smart card or as a smart card cover, or in any other manner—directly in the proximity of a receiver electrode of the receiver, by which means the signal is transmitted in a purely capacitive—“only through the air” manner (to be precise, in each case, for example via space earth, there is yet a second signal path (signal return path), which for example is described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,854. This return path may also then partly run through the body when the forwards path runs directly from the transmitter device to the receiver without the signal path running through the body).
The capacitive-resistive information transmission entails the aspect of the person selectivity which is very important for access control: on account of the very short range of this interaction, one practically ensures that the person who is located in the direct vicinity of the receiver electrode—this for example is formed by a mechanical door handle or door fitting—is also that person who carries the transmitter, from which data is received, or who is in contact with it. Despite this, in contrast to the classical mechanical or mechatronic key—with which this type of person selectivity is of course also given—it is not necessary for the user to awkwardly get the key from his pocket and standing still whilst unlocking.
The idea according to the first aspect of the invention then has the great advantage, that a mechatronic locking device with a receiver may be used without additional effort in existing properties, and may even be installed into existing doors, for example as a compact lock cylinder and/or door fitting, which may be assembled on the door as a whole and, for example, in a standardised size. The conversion of an existing mechatronic system into a mechatronic system according to the invention is also possible. In particular no wiring of the door is necessary, which would require a great deal of effort. This is particularly advantageous for applications in which the door is for example the door of an inner room, which does not need to meet the highest of security requirements, which is not wired in any case and which must also be relatively inexpensive.
The transmitter for many applications is a portable apparatus, which may be carried along by the user in his pocket, or which may be held on a piece of clothing as a badge or be worn as a wrist watch. It may however also be stationary relative to the door and be arranged such that the user during the door opening procedure brings a body part into its vicinity and/or partly contacts it. This variant is yet described in more detail hereinafter by way of the second aspect of the invention.
Also according to the second aspect of the invention, the access control system comprises a door with an integrated mechatronic locking device, wherein the locking device comprises a receiver, which is designed in order to receive and evaluate capacitive-resistive signals emitted by a transmitter and transmitted via a body of a user, wherein the locking device releases the door or not depending on a result of this evaluation. According to the second aspect of the invention, an electrode of the transmitter is now installed in a fixed manner on an object in the vicinity of the door—possibly even on the door itself. The user thus does not necessarily carry the transmitter with him, but it serves quasi during the door opening procedure only as a—necessary—information transmission medium.
The transmitter may for example be arranged on a wall in the vicinity of the door to be opened—for example in the door bell—or on posts provided for this or posts which are present in any case. It is preferably integrated into an apparatus, which also contains a reader for reading out for carrying out an identification, for example by way of reading out a signal from an identification medium (for example a RFID chip) or by way of recognition of biometric features (thermal fingerprint, picture processing etc.) and/or by way of the input of an identification code (PIN code for example) by the user. A communication connection exists between the reader and the transmitter. As soon as the reader recognises that the person demanding access is authorised to access—this may be effected by way of biometric features known per se from RFID identification media or from readers—the transmitter begins with the emitting of a signal via a transmitter electrode. This electrode is arranged in a manner such that the user is located in any case in its vicinity, when his authorisation is checked. The signal is transmitted through the user in a capacitive-resistive manner. If it is received by a receiver electrode present in the door (or possibly in its direct vicinity), a suitable drive in the door opens the locking device, and the door may be opened by the user.
The possibly used “identification medium” does not need to be personalised or one of a kind, but may designed in the manner of an electronic key known per se. One may, for example, envisage all staff of an organisation—or possibly only the staff with a certain function—carrying an identical identification medium. An identification medium (and/or a corresponding identification signal and/or a corresponding identification code to be inputted, for example, via a keyboard) may thus personally identify the user, but may also identify him as a member of a group (for example the group of authorised persons).
It is possible by way of this concept, for the door itself, apart from the electrical drive and the respective activation electronics, to only require one receiver for the capacitive-resistive information transmission. A corresponding electrode may be formed, for example, by a door handle which is present in any case or by a door fitting. Such receivers are very simple and may be installed into existing doors without further ado. In particular, the door requires no separate electricity supply (as in the first aspect). All communication channels may also be short-range, which is very advantageous for applications of access control where security may be relevant. Thus in particular, it is possible:                for an identification medium to be carried by the user, to be used without electricity supply (thus also without a battery), or for biometric features of the user to serve as an identification medium, and/or        for the door, despite this, to be provided only with a battery-operated receiver and battery operated logics and in particular not to have to be wired.        
With the concept according to the invention, thus as a result, all components which require a wiring, may be attached at any selectable location in the vicinity of the door, specifically for example into a single apparatus. This is very advantageous for a retrofit into an already existing building or in the context of defined doors. The wired apparatus located in the vicinity of the door in particular may also be connected or connectable “online” to a control centre, and authorisations or other information may be programmed or transmitted via this online connection.
Independently of this, the inventive concept also permits the combination of metallic door fittings with RFID identification technology or with other identification technology, with which signals are transmitted via electromagnetic fields (for example inductively and/or via electromagnetic waves). Until now, such was not possible since metallic fittings or even metallic doors shield such signals and a corresponding receiver or transmitter has no effect when it is arranged behind the fitting.
Particularly preferred is a combination of the first with the second aspect. This combination permits existing doors to be retrofitted in the simplest manner, such that they may be retrofitted by any selected data carriers, which function as keys, to any system or even to a combination of different systems.
According to a third aspect of the invention, a system for the access control to a building with outer doors and inner doors is provided, which comprises at least one first locking device and a plurality of second locking devices, wherein the first locking device or at least one of the first locking devices is arranged for locking and unlocking an outer door, and the second locking devices for locking and unlocking inner doors, and wherein the at least one first locking device comprises first means for receiving information from the user, and the second locking devices comprise second means for receiving information from the user. The system is then characterised in that the second means comprises a receiver of capacitive-resistive signals transmitted by the body of the user, and that the first means are different from the second means.
This is based on the concept that the access to rooms must also be organised in the inside of buildings, but that for reasons of comfort, the highest security level does not need to apply for each door. For example, it is tiresome if the user must actively present a key and unlock the door for each of the doors in the inside of a building. In buildings, in which this is the case, inner doors are often left negligently open, which reduces the security. Thanks to the inventive concept, in particular it is possible for a natural course of movement to be possible for the user. If he carries a permanently active transmitter for the capacitive-resistive communication in his pocket or on his person and approaches a door, the locking device will receive a signal from the transmitter as soon as a body part of the user is located in the direct vicinity of the respective receiver electrode—and this is formed for example by a door handle or door fitting as in the above examples. Since a transmission of high data quantities is not necessary, the information transmission and the subsequent release may be effected and completed within a fraction of a second when the user actuates the door handle. In particular, the user neither needs to take an object from his pocket nor hold a badge up to a respective surface, nor does he need to change his course of movement in any other way. To him, the door appears to be open from the very beginning.
Of course, a corresponding procedure is also possible with doors which automatically open (sliding doors for example); wherein then the respective procedures preferably take their course so quickly, that the user may go through the door at normal walking speed, without him having to wait for the door to open.
The unlocking means to be used by the user for opening the inner doors may comprise a transmitter for the capacitive-resistive information transmission. It may optionally contain additional means in order actuate the first locking devices (only one device necessary for outer doors and inner doors). For example, it may be designed as a card which may also be used for RFID identification, or it may be present as a key which also has mechanical codings and/or an identification chip for RFID identification or other electronic identification. If the unlocking means is present as a key with mechanical codings, a metallic surface having the mechanical coding may at the same time also serve as an electrode for contactless communication. Of course, the unlocking element may also be combined with other functionalities and, for example, be designed as a mobile telephone, watch etc.
One may also envisage the first unlocking means (for actuating the first locking devices) and second unlocking means (for actuating the second locking devices) being separate from one another. In particular, the mentioned second unlocking means with the transmitter may be designed as a sleeve for an identification card (which for example may be used as first unlocking means for actuating the first locking devices), wherein optionally an interface may be present between the sleeve and the identification card. A corresponding teaching may be found for example in the international patent applications PCT/CH 2008/000057, PCT/CH 2008/000058 and PCT/CH 2008/000059 of the applicant of the present patent application.
The second means preferably consist only of a receiver for capacitive-resistive signals, i.e. preferably the second locking devices are only opened by way of capacitive-resistive signals which may be transmitted through the body. It is then not necessary for the user to then unlock in different manners.
Particularly preferably, the system according to the third aspect of the invention is present in a semi-public building. Semi-public buildings are buildings to which everyone has access at least at certain times, but which have rooms for which this access authorisation does not apply. Examples of semi-public buildings are hospitals, official buildings (court buildings, administration buildings), hotels etc. In such buildings, the procedure according to the invention has special advantages. It is also advantageous that second locking devices with a receiver for the capacitive-resistive signals may be applied relatively simply in existing doors or at least doors which may be retrofitted into existing buildings. A very good retrofitting ability results due to this. Existing buildings may be retrofitted very easily with a system according to the third aspect of the invention.
The invention accordingly also relates, for example, to a semi-public building with a system according to the third aspect of the invention.
In this context, a combination with the first, the second or with the first and second aspect of the invention is particularly preferred.
The first locking devices may be designed in a conventionally mechanical manner (actuation by way of mechanically coded keys). Then, the first means for receiving information are means for mechanically reading out the key, thus for example tumbler—counter-tumbler pairs. The first locking devices may also be designed in an electronic manner (for example actuation by way of information exchange with an electronic key) or in a mechanical-electronic manner. A combination with a receiver for capacitive-resistive signals is also conceivable. On the other hand, the first means preferably do not only consist of such a receiver, but information is (also) exchanged via another channel.
Of course, one may envisage the first locking devices not always being activated. For example outer doors of the (for example semi-public) building may be constantly open during the day and only the inner doors locked as the case may be.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a system for the access control to an object which is provided with a door, which for its part may be locked by a locking device, is provided. The locking device comprises an outer receiver electrode and an inner receiver electrode which is not electrically connected to this in parallel. Given a closed door, the outer receiver electrode is accessible from outside the object, and the inner electrode from within the object. The electrodes are preferably present on the door itself (on its outer side or inner side, for example formed by the fitting, door handle etc.), but may also be located in the direct vicinity of this, for example on or at the door frame. The inner as well as the outer receiver electrodes are receiver electrodes of a receiver for capacitive-resistive signals transmitted by the body of the user. According to the third aspect of the invention, the system is then designed such that the locking device goes into a first unlocking condition, when a matching capacitive-resistive signal is received by the outer electrode, and goes into a second unlocking condition when a matching—for example the same—capacitive-resistive signal is received via the inner electrode. The first and the second unlocking condition are different from one another. In particular, in the first unlocking condition, the door may be locked after a reclosure, whereas in the second unlocking condition, the door is permanently open—i.e. until a signal is received by the outer electrode or until the door is closed by way of other procedures, for example actively by the user.
The object, with regard to which the access control is controlled by way of the procedure according to the fourth aspect, is for example a room in the inside of a building. The procedure according to the fourth aspect of the invention is based on the fact that an authorised person after access to a room often spends some time in this room. It may be desirable for third parties—who perhaps were not authorised to enter into the empty room—to be able to enter the room, for example after previously knocking on the door. If this is the case, the authorised person in the room does not have to actively actuate the door, in order to let someone in, who wishes to enter. Neither does a complicated door opening device which is to be controlled by the authorised person need to be provided. It is therefore desirable for the system to recognise that an authorised person is in the room. Since the authorised person closed the door from inside after he has gained access to the room, he is the last one who has contacted the door from the inside. By way of the procedure according to the invention, this serves as an indication that the user is located in the inside of the room. If he leaves the room, then he is the last one to contact the door on its outer side. The locking device is then set into the first unlocking condition, and the non-authorised person has no access to the room.
The procedure according to the fourth aspect of the invention is in particular suitable for rooms in which generally only a single person is present—thus for example individual offices.
Particularly preferred is a combination with the first, the second or the third aspect of the invention, or with any combinations of these three aspects. In particular, all four aspects or aspect one, three and four may be well combined into a complete system, with which the access authorisation in large buildings may be controlled in a practical manner and in one which has a low expense with regard to installation and maintenance.
Methods for controlling the access control, as are explained on operating a system according to the first, second third and fourth aspect of the invention, likewise belong to the invention.